Skeksis
|abilities = Manipulation Semi-Immortality Psychically linked to the Mystics' minds|weapons = Sword|fate = Merged back into the UrSkeks due to Jen healing the Dark Crystal. |films = The Dark Crystal|shows = The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance}} The 'Skeksis '''are an evil race of aliens who became the overlords of Thra and serve as the main antagonists of ''The Dark Crystal franchise. Background Appearance The Skeksis were reptilian-like birds with scaly bodies, beak like jaws and hooded eyes. Their appearance was nearly similar to Mystics, having four arms and a tail like them. When the Skeksis first appeared, they were brightly colored and beautiful creatures, with four arms, and wings. However, their second pair of arms withered and atrophied and their bodies decayed. Unlike the Mystics, who evaporated after they died, the Skeksis would crumble to dust. They were highly thanatophobic and, according to Aughra, Thra would reject them once they died, becoming obsessed with prolonging their lives. Personality While posing as benevolent rulers to the Gelflings, the Skeksis were in truth where cruel, selfish and evil. They hated everything and everyone, including themselves. They were considered rude with no etiquette, such as having horrible table manners, letting most of their food to fall on the ground or leave their placemats a mess. However, two of the Skeksis, SkekEkt and SkekZok appeared to have table manners. They were also very cruel and sadistic, taking pleasure in the misery of other Gelfling when they were drained and when they mercilessly attacked Seladon. Culture The Skeksis valued power above all else, considering the enlightenment the Mystics saught after as ridiculous and that power is dominating others. They also wore nothing but metallic crests. While their bodies were rotting away, they used more robes to make themselves look more intimidating. Because of their fear of death and prolonging it, it was revealed by SkekZok, there are no rites for the dead, as no Skeksis had died since the Great Division. The murder of another Skeksis was considered inconceivable and against their customs, but it was only to instill their illusion of immortality. Though SkekSil claimed killing other Skeksis was unimaginable, he nonetheless committed murder as he killed SkekVar in retaliation for taking his spot at the emperor's side. Members *skekAyuk *skekSa *skekLi *skekEkt *skekGra *skekHak *skekLach *skekMal *skekNa *skekOk *skekShod *skekSil *skekSo *skekTek *skekUng *skekVar *skekYi *skekZok History Before the series Once known as the urSkeks, the Skeksis came to be when they were ultimately split between the Skeksis and the Mystics when the urSkeks attempted too cleanse their soul with the Crystal of Truth, but created the two separate entities instead. Where the Mystics were peaceful, good, and wise, the Skeksis were cruel, selfish and evil. They were originally nineteen, but two of the Skeksis were killed and the Crystal was cracked by one of the Skeksis and causing a shard from the Crystal to break off. The Skeksis rejected the Mystics and did not desire to rejoin their counterparts. While the Mystics his themselves away until they were needed again, the Skeksis remained in the castle. After bewitching Aughra with tales of the Stars, they befriended her and built her and observatory so she could explore the cosmos for herself. Tricking Mother Aughra, she entered the Skeksis in charge of the Crystal. However, the Skeksis began ruling over Thra and began extracting power from the Crystal when the three Suns headed over it and beamed into the Skeksis eyes so they may replenish themselves and cheat death over and over again. During their reign, the Skeksis were led by an Emperor, SkekSo. While posing as the benevolent rulers of Thra, they lied to the races of Thra and kept their true personas hidden from the public. At the beginning of the Age of Division, SkekSo established the Alliance of the Crystal with the Gelfling, offering them their protection. However, in fear that the Gelfling would rise up against them one day, the Skeksis began to scheme how to keep the Gelfling divided and prevent them from discovering their strength of overcoming the Skeksis if they ever united. They split the seven gelfling Clans and made the Vapra Clan rule over the other six clans. They attempted to make the Arathim Ascendancy loyal followers as well but when they refused, SkekSo forced them out of the caves of Grot and gave it to the Gelflings, whom the Skeksis saw as more obedient subjects. ''The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance'' Soon, the Skeksis' experiments on the Crystal would lead to the world of Thra dying due to them stealing life from the Crystal and furthered the spread of the Darkening. Eventually, the Gelfling learned of the Skeksis' treachery when the Gelfling, Rian, saw them drain his girlfriend Mira of her essence. With Brea and Deet, they united all the seven clans against the Skeksis. However, the Skeksis heard of a prophecy that one day, a Gelfling would end the Skeksis' rule, leading the Skeksis' to have the Gelfling exterminated with the Garthim. ''The Dark Crystal'' By the time of the film, the Skeksis believed that they had exterminated all the Gelflings. At this point, they were already a dying race and by the time of Jen's quest, there were only ten. SkekSo, who had been weakened by the powers of the Darkening which had mutilated his body, the Skeksis were in chaos as SkekSo's counterpart, UrSu allowed himself to die. Soon, the Skeksis were under the rule of SkekUng, who had bested the Chamberlain SkekSil (who was next in line to become emperor) during the trial by stone. When they became aware of Jen's existance, one of the two Gelfling survivors, SkekUng sent the Garthim after the boy, only for them to bring back Aughra. Realizing their lives were at stake, SkekZok sent the Crystal Bats to search for Jen. They soon discovered that there was a second survivor of the Garthim Wars, Kira. SkekSil, hoping to regain his power, kidnapped Kira and brought her before the Skeksis. SkekZok wanted to immediately kill her but SKekUng refused, instead had SkekTek drain her first than kill. Afterward, SkekUng restored SkekSil's position and his robes. Meanwhile, SkekTek was unsuccessful in doing so, as Kira had used her gifts of communicating with the animals trapped in the Chamber of Life. As she called upon them, SkekTek suddenly fell to his death from the air shaft, rendering the Skeksis down to now only eight. During the battle in the castle, the Skeksis were ultimately defeated when Jen, the Gelfling of the prophecy healed the Dark Crystal after the skekZok had murdered his beloved kIra. The Skeksis were reunited with theircounterparts and became UrSkeks once more. The Power of the Dark Crystal Still, the Skeksis' influence on Thra was not over yet, as several gelfling kept weapons that the Skeksis once used. Thurma, a fireling from Mithra, took a shard from the crystal, resulting in the return of the Skeksis. Howeverz after she healed the Dark Crystal, it allowed them to reunite with their Mystic counterparts yet again. Trivia * Beneath the Dark Crystal was the first story where the Skeksis were not the main antagonists, instead it being the Fire Who Stays. The exception is SkekSil, who appeared in limbo with his counterpart to Kensho. Category:Aliens Category:Male Characters Category:The Dark Crystal characters Category:Main Antagonists Category:Character groups Category:Teams Category:Organizations Category:Villains